Saturday Breakdown: Hot Cars, Hot Nights, Burritos And “Choppers!”

Is it busy around here? Not so busy that another three or five reporters couldn’t cover it all.

Things were hopping in the 24/680 this week and almost everything made onto the site or our Facebook Page, including the prospect of a new produce and burrito store in Moraga, but there were a few things that needed tidying up.

OPD made a friendly call and San Ramon Police Detectives responded to process the truck for evidence. While they were doing that, detectives requested assistance from a CHP Helicopter for an aerial search of the surrounding area. Inside a storage yard at the intersection of Railroad Avenue and Clara Street in Oakland, the CHP Helicopter Unit spotted a trailer matching the description of the trailer stolen from San Ramon.

San Ramon PD authored a search warrant and served it at the storage yard at 7:15pm, with assistance from CHP, Alameda County Sheriff’s Department, and Oakland Police. The trailer, all identifying decals stripped away, was found in the storage yard and CHP officers were able to verify it was the trailer stolen from San Ramon. The trailer was opened and the stolen Mustang Fastback race car was found inside, undamaged.

No one was located inside the storage yard and no one was taken into police custody, so far, but the investigation is continuing and it is pretty clear the car was hours away from being “parted out.” Nice catch, local law enforcement, and we know of at least one San Ramon family who may consider buying coffee or lunch for some diligent investigators.

Also on the automotive scene lately, we’ve written about the apparent spike in Thunder Runs – high-speed hijinks or evasions on our local roads – and the great lengths local Speed Demons are going to evade capture by police. On Thursday, Martinez police tried to stop a reckless driver and found themselves in a pursuit which appeared to have ended on I-680 when the fleeing car crashed into the center divider. But, as the officer pulled up to the collision, the driver made an abrupt u-turn, going the wrong way on the freeway, and rammed the officer’s patrol car. Martinez PD says the suspect was also able to evade assisting officers responding to the area and got away. There were no injuries, but police have noted the apparent change in tactics and so have we.

On Friday, we noted a three-car collision on Glorietta Blvd. in Orinda and, after we were able to report the occupants shaken but uninjured, we found out one of the cars involved belonged to a NEWS24-680 reader – who was able to give us a firsthand account of what it’s like to get rear-ended. Glad no one was hurt.

Lastly, as if there isn’t enough on the ground to concern ourselves with, we were advised that the PG&E Air Force will be up and around our air space this weekend, their helicopters ferrying equipment to a series of projects the utility is currently undertaking.

That will do for now. Stay tuned for more local news as it happens. Thanks for following us and “Liking” us and writing us. It’s like having tens of thousands of best friends!

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